Feeding, severing, and moistening device



Nov. 17, 1936. F. w. STORCK FEEDING! SEVERING," AND MOISTENING DEVICE 4SheetvShet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1 934 9% (gimmick Q Kififnc Nov. 17, 1936.F. w. sToRcK FEEDING, SEVERING, AND MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25,1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 zveralv 7'- lllllllll v Nov. 17, 1936. F. w.STORCK. 2,061,524

FEEDING, SEVERING, AND MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1954 4Sheets-Sheet 3 71,0670 7'. morwzw. Z

Nav. 1-7, 1936. F. wfsToRcK 2,061,524

Q FEEDING, SEVERING, AND MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Sept 25, 19:54 4Sheets-Sheet 4 OQQOQOGOQ Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Frederick W.Storck, Arlington, Mass, assignor to Standard MailingMachines Company, Everett, Mass, a corporation of MassachusettsApplication September 25, 1934, Serial No. 745,403

' 22 Claims.

My invention relates to devices for feeding strips of sheet material andmore particularly to I devices utilized in connection with the wellknown mailing or mail handling machines which are arranged to perform asealing and/or stamp affixing operation and using strips of sheetmaterial having an adhesive applied to one face thereof and laterallyperforated at intervals, of which the well known roll of postage stampsis illustrative.

As is well known, a stamp is usually placed at the upper right handcorner of the face of an envelope or object in accordance with the rulesof the United States Post Oflice Department, and in the above referredto mailing or mail handling machine the stamp is severed from the striproll, moistened and positioned preparatory to and for attachment to theenvelope or object. In instances, when the weight of the envelope orobject is overweight, it is required, to compensate for the over weight,that additional stamps be attached to the envelope or object andpreferably beside the one previously affixed.

Also, in utilizing a roll of material of the above character, due to thevariation in diameters of the rolled material-and other inherentcharacteristics, the distortion of a moistened severed portion, thedistortion of which is intensified as' the roll is diminished in size,presents an objectionable and unsatisfactory feature and a problem inproperly applying the severed portion to another object to be affixed inthe usual manner by a minimum interval of pressure.

Therefore, in view of the foregoing, the object of my present inventionis to provide a simple and efficient self-contained, adjustable stampfeeding, severing, moistening, setting and positioning unit that may beeasily and readily attached to the usual and well known mailing or mailhandling machines.

Another object of my invention is to provide a feeding mechanism forperforated strip material wherein a plurality of feed fingers areprovided for engaging the perforations, to feed the 45 strip forward toposition the advancing perforation for severing, and wherein each of thefingers acts independently of the other to compensate for inherentirregularities in the lateral location of the perforations orirregularities in the plane of the strip. Still another object, infeeding the perforated strip, is to distort one of the severed endswhereby the opposed severed ends may be utilized for a further feedingoperation.

A further object is that of providing a simple 55 stamp positioningmeans whereby subsequent stamps may be relatively positioned on anenvelope or other object.

A still further object in my present invention is the provision ofmeans, contained in my unit, to properly moisten a severed portion andeffect 5 a set in the contour of the severed portion whereby saidsevered portion may be more readily affixed to an object within aminimum interval of pressure.

To accomplish the above objectives, I have provided a novel combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more specificallypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my inventionsufficiently to enable those skilled in the art to understand theconstruction and operation thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a right hand side elevation of my improved feeding device. 20

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of the feeding device.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is, a sectional side elevation taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3. 25 Fig.5 is a plan view of a section of perforated strip, the feeding fingers,shaft on which they are mounted, and a section of the casing in whichthe shaft is mounted. 4

Fig. 6 is the support'for a, strip as it is by the device when inoperation. Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view of the edge of a strip, theposition of the feeding fingers as they move forward to feed the strip,the severing knife, a severed portion of the strip in position to be fedforward, and the feedingrolls adapted to receive and feed the severedportion.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken through line 8-8, Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a'sectional elevation taken through fed ' line 9 9, Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken through line l0l0, Fig. 4. v

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the end of thesupport shown in Fig. 6 taken on line I|-l I, Fig. 6.

Fig. 12 is a cross section of the support shown in Fig. 6 taken throughline l2l2, Fig. 6.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of the operating taken on line I3l3, Fig. 3. 5

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of one of the friction washers used betweenthe feeding fingers.

Fig. 15 is an end view of the advancing end of a strip of material andof the severed portion of the strip. This view is designed to show thecross 55 clutch sectional shapes of the two portions which they assumeafterthe severing operation.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a severed portion as it appears whenprepared for applying and afl'ixing the same to an envelope or otherobject.

In the drawings illustrating my feeding device, there is a main frame l6in which is mounted the reciprocating carrier |l having arock shaft l8suitably mounted therein. The opposite sides of said shaft l8 areflattened to correspond to the shape of a hole I9 in the washer 20 asshown at Fig. 14. The shaft 8 has pivotally mounted thereon a pluralityof fingers 2|, the outer terminating ends of said fingers being pointed,as shown, to adapt them to fit in the perforations A of a perforatedstrip B. The fingers 2| are spaced apart by means of washers 20, thefingers 2| and washers 20 being alternately mounted on the shaft l8between the collar 22, which is secured to said shaft l8 and acompression spring 23 bearing against the inner wall of the carrier H.The spring 23, being in contact with the outside washer, compresses theplurality of fingers and'washers against the vcollar 22, thus inducingfrictional contact between the fingers 2| and the washers 20. As thewashers 20 are fixed against rotation on the shaft l8 they willoscillate with it, and since the fingers 2| are free to rotate on theshaft 8 any oscillating movement imparted to them will be throughfrictional contact of the washers due to the force of the spring 23.

The carrier I1 is slidably mounted on the guides 2424 which are securedin the frame I 6 and held in position by the binding screws 26-26.

The shaft I8 is provided with a rectangular terminating end portion 21adapted to engage in the rectangular hole in the portion 28 of theconnecting rod 29, thereby causing said shaft to be oscillated by theangular movement of said connecting rod. The portion 28 is provided withslotted holes adapted to receive binding screws 30--3ll which arethreaded into the connecting rod 29. The purpose of this construction isto provide adjustment of the length of the connecting rod and properpositioning of the feed fingers relative to the perforations in thestrip of material and the positioning of the perforations for asubsequent severing operation.

The connecting rod 23 is pivotally mounted on a crank pin 3| which issecured in a crank disc 32. The crank disc 32 is secured on one end ofthe shaft 33, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearing supports inthe frame 5. The shaft 33 has also secured thereon a gear 34 which isprovided with a hub 35, said hub having secured therein an engaging pin38. The shaft 33 is provided with a hole which extends axiallytherethrough and which is adapted to receive a drive shaft 36. Saidshaft 36 has secured thereon a collar 31 which is provided with aplurality of gauge holes 39 which are adapted to register with andengage said pin 38. The drive shaft 36 is connected with a source ofpower, not shown. It is through the shaft 36 that power is supplied tooperate my self-contained unit.

The purpose of providing a plurality of gauge holes 39 in the collar 31is to providean adjustment that will change the timing of my feedingdevice so that one or more additional postage stamps may be attached andrelatively positioned to each other, when it is found that the envelopeand its contents are over weight and require addi-' tional stamps. WhileI have only illustrated two holes as 39, it will be understood that anynumber of holes may be used in order to affix the required number ofstamps.

The carrier I1 is designed to travel back and forth a distance equal tothe length of the desired postage stamp. The points of the fingers 2|are adapted to slide on the surface of a strip of stamps and enter theperforations A when it reaches them and feed the strip forward adistance equal to the distance between the rows of perforations. Whenthe feeding device is properly adjusted, the strip of stamps will be fedto a position to bring the row of perforations exactly under thesevering device. As the carrier is reciprocated back and forth, by itscrank connections, the oscillations of the shaft I8 will lower thepoints of the fingers 2| into contact with the perforations in the stripon the forward movement and raise them clear of the strip on thebackward movement. These movements of the feeding up andv down at theirpoints is due to the frictional contact of the washers 20, which arenon-rot'atably mounted on the shaft IS, with the fingers 2|, which arefreely mounted on the shaft I8.

As is obvious from the foregoing description of the construction andoperation of the fingers 2| and their coacting friction washers 20, theshaft will receive a greater angular rotative movement in conversedirections than is required for the normal up and down movement of thefinger points. This greaterrotative movement of the shaft causes thefrictional contacts, which are rotated with the shaft, to rotate againstthe fingers and thereby causing the fingers to exert pressure in theiropposed limiting positions.

It is further obvious that, on the forward movement of the carrier someof the points of the fingers 2| will not register with and enter theperforations in the strip and, therefore, some of the finger points willrest on top of the strip and out of transverse alignment with theregistering fingers.

On the return movement of the carrier H, the shaft I8 is oscillated; asheretofore mentioned, and raises the registering and non-registeringfingers simultaneously. As the fingers 2| are frictionally raised by theshaft l8 and friction washers 20, their movement is arrested by theinner face |1a of the forward edge of the carrier frame H, see Fig. 4.As the shaft l8 receives an additional movement in a contra-clockwisedirection during the return of backward movement of the carrier l1, allof the fingers 2| will be forced into alignment against the face |'|a-,and there will be frictional slippage between the friction washers 20and. the fingers 2| in the direction contra to that effected when thepoints of the fingers 2| are engaged with the stamp strip, thusre-setting the angular displacement of the friction means with respectto the fingers, occasioned by the contact of -the fingers with thestrip, so that on the next successive occurrence of engagement, theremay be a recurrence of the frictional downward pressure of the'frictionwashers 20 against the coacting fingers 2| after said fingers have,again encountered the same strip.

The supporting plate 46 has a depression 4| which permits the ends ofthe fingers 2| to pass through the perforations A.

70 The enlarged view Fig. 12 shows the forward end of the support 40which has the upwardly curving narrow portion 32, and the depressedportions 43-43 formed on either side of it. In the enlarged view Fig.11, it will be seen that the 7 portion 42, or the crest of its curve,lies slightly above the main inner horizontal surface of the support 46and that the flat portions 43-43 are slightly below the adjacent mainsurface 44. A pair of tapering rolls 45 -45 are revolvably mounted onthe shaft 48, the shaft 48 is secured in the walls 49-49- of the support46. The rolls 4545 are small in diameter at the center and extend overand across the narrow portion 42 with a space between them to permit thepassage of the strip. It will be noted that as the strip passes over thenarrow portion 42 and under the rolls 45-45 that it will be curved asindicated by the numeral 41 in Fig. 15. 4

The vertically reciprocating member 56 is used to sever a stamp from thestrip at the point where the perforations occur. The member is timed tosever a stamp during the return movement of the feeding fingers andwhile the strip is at rest. The member 56 severs the stamp at theperforations with a tearing action, which does away with the necessityof maintaining a sharp cutting or shearing edge on the severing device.

The severing device 56 is attached to the frame 5| in position to enterthe slot 52 during its operation of severing a stamp from the strip atthe point where the perforations occur.

The frame 5| is provided with the vertical, substantially T-shaped,portion 53 which is guided in the slot 5|a in the frame l6. A plate 53aholds the frame 5| in position. A stud 54 is secured in the portion 53and arranged to enter the forked end of the lever 55. The lever 55 ispivoted on the pivot 56 which is secured in the frame l6. A stud 51 issecured in the mid portion of the lever 55 and has rotativelymountedthereon the roll 58.

There is formed on the inner face of the cam disc 32 a cam groove 59adapted to receive the roll.58. The arrangement of the parts is suchthat rotation of the cam disc 32 will reciprocate the lever 55 andthrough its engagement with the stud 54 will reciprocate the frame 5|and the severing device 56. The movement of the parts are so timed, thatthe severing device 56 will sever a stamp from the strip after thefeeding I movement of the strip has been completed and the feedingfingers are on their return movement to commence another feeding cycle.

After a stamp 41 has been severed from the strip, it assumes the lateralcurvature indicated by the numeral 41, the advancing end of the stripwill remain straight as indicated by the numeral 46. The appearance ofthe end of the strip and the severed stamp, is best shown in Fig. 15.The lateral curvature of the severed stamp is due to its bending overthe raised portion 42 and under the rolls 45-45. By bending theseveredstamp as indicated, the advancing end of the strip will positivelyinterlock with the severed stamp to feed it into engagement with thefeeding and moistening rolls. The serrated condition of the end of thestrip and the severed stamp, due to the perforations, help maintain theend of the strip and the stamp in engagement and interlocked.

Referring to Fig. '1, it will be noted that the distance between thesevering device and the serrated feed rolls 66 and 6| is greater thanthe length of a stamp, by this arrangement of the parts I am able tocombine an intermittent and a constant feeding movement so they willcooperate automatically. This does away with the use. of clutches andsimilar devices to provide for an intermittent feeding movement of thefeeding rolls.

members 14 and 15.

The feeding roll 66 is mounted on the shaft 66a which rotates inbearings in the frame l6. The gear 62 is secured to the end of the shaft66a and enmeshes with the gear 63 which in turn meshes with and isdriven by the gear 34.

The roll 6| is rotatively mounted on the shaft 6|a which is secured inthe walls of the tank 64.

The surface of the rolls 66 and 6| are serrated so that contact of theirsurfaces will rotate the roll 6|.

The moistening device consists of the removal tank 64 held in positionin the frame |6 by the spring 66. The shaft 6|a has a hole extendingaxially to the hole 61, through which moisture can pass to the tank 64,and thence conveyed to the gummed surface of a stamp by the surface ofthe roll 6|. The surface of the roll 6| is immersed in the fluid in thetank 64. The shaft 6 la being stationary, a tube or hose may be attachedto it through which fluid can be conveyed to the tank 64. A grooved roll68 is rotatively mounted on a shaft 69 which is secured in the endportions of the walls 65-65 of the frame l6, said roll being'adapted toengage with a feed roll of the machine proper.

It will be noted that, as the severed portion 41 of the strip is passedover the narrow central portion 42 and between the serrated faces of therolls 66, 6|, said severed portion has received a serrature impression,as illustrated at Fig. 16, which eliminates any inherent curvature orirregularity in the plane of said portion and therefore the under oradhesive face of the severed portion presents a substantially flatplane, and whereby the affixing of said portion to an object may be morereadily accomplished with a minimum interval of pressure.

The circles 16 and 1|show the position of the feed rolls of a mailingmachine to which my improved feeding device can be attached and used toattach a postage stamp to an envelope.

A weight 12 is provided adapted tofit between the walls 4949 of thesupport 46. The weight 12 consists of the sides 13-13 joined by thecross The weight 12 serves to hold the strip temporarily fiat and toprovide sufficient friction to prevent its accidental displacement. 16represents a roll of sheet material in the form of a strip resting inthe curved support 11. The support 11 is positioned so the strip willpass over the support 46 and under the weight 12.

In the operation of my improved feeding device, the perforated strip ispositioned between the support 46 and the weight 12 with a line ofperforations in advance of the carrier fingers 2|.

As the feeding mechanism is actuated, the finger points will engage theadvanced perforations and feed the strip forward until a line ofperforations is positioned for engagement under the severing device.

During the return movement of the carrier fingers 2| to their initialposition the severing device is actuated and severs the stamp,.Which isin advance of the severing device, from the perforated strip.

On the next subsequent forward feeding movement of the carrier fingers,the previously severed stamp will be engaged by the advancing strip endand pushed into engagement with the moistening and feeding rolls 66, 6|.These feeding rolls 66, 6| advance the severed and moistening stamp intoengagement between the grooved roll 68 and coacting feed roll 16. Thestamp is advanced by these rolls 68, 16 in a positioned relation tocontact and be deposited upon an envelope which is thereafter passedbetween opposed pressure feed.

said carrier to oscillate the free ends of saidfeeding means into andout of contact with a strip of material during their feeding andnonfeeding operations.

2. A strip feeding device, comprising a reciprocating carrier,guides-for said carrier, feeding fingers each individually frictioncontrolled mounted in said carrier said friction control forming a partof means associated with said carrier whereby said fingers are engagedwith said strip on the forward feeding movement of said carrier andelevated above the plane of said strip on the converse movement of saidcarrier and means for reciprocating the carrier.

3. A device for feeding and severing portions of a perforated strip ofmaterial, comprising a reciprocating carrier, guides on which thecarrier is slidably mounted, feeding fingers rotatively mounted in thecarrier so their free ends can oscillate and engage the perforations inthe strip, means coacting with said carrier to frictionally oscillatesaid fingers, said friction means engaging each feeding finger andpermitting their independent action with uniform pressures in allpositions, means for reciprocating the carrier, means operating duringthe interval between the feeding movements to sever a portion from thestrip by a tearing action.

4. In a device for feeding perforated strips, a reciprocating carrier, ashaft pivoted in the sides of the carrier having flattened portions onits opposite sides, a plurality of feeding fingers rotatively mounted onsaid shaft, friction washers non-rotatively mounted on said shaft andlocated between the feeding fingers, means for maintaining and adjustingthe pressure between the wash ers and the feeding fingers and meansfor'reciprocating the carrier and oscillating the feeding fingers.

5. A device for feeding strips of perforated materials, comprising aframe and guides mounted thereon, a reciprocating carrier slidablymounted on the guides, a plurality of feeding fingers mounted in thecarrier, a plurality of friction washers mounted between the feedingfingers, means adapted to reciprocate the carrier longitudinally andoscillate the free ends of the feeding fingers laterally to engage theperforations in the strip and feed it and to lift the fingers off thestrip during the non-feeding movement of the carrier.

6. A method of feeding, severing, and moistening strips of gummed sheetmaterial having lateral perforations, consisting of intermittentlyfeeding the strip by the perforations, severing the strip at a line ofperforations, bending the severed portion laterally to insure a positivecontact of the advancing end of the strip with the severed portion tofeed it forward, moistening the severed portion and thereafterpositioning said severed portion for further engagement.

=7. A methodpf positioning and feeding the severed portion of a strip ofmaterial, which consists of holding the severed portion in a laterallycurved position and the advancing end of the strip in a straight linelaterally so it will positively contact with the curved end of thesevered portion and. feed it in a contiguous relation to the advancingstrip end.

8. The method of positioning and feeding a portion of strip materialsevered from a strip of the same and feeding the severed portion by theadvancing end of the strip, which consists in curving the severedportion laterally, and holding it in such condition with its mid curvedportion above the plane of the advancing end of the strip, its sideslying below the plane of the advancing end of the strip thereby toinsure positive contact of the advancing end of the strip with saidsevered portion during their feeding movements.

9. In a device for feeding strip materials, the combination ofintermittent and continuously operating feeding devices, which comprisereciprocating means for intermittently feeding a strip of material toposition its end in a holding device, means for severing the portionheld in the holding device so the next feeding movement of the stripwill push the severed portion of the strip into engagement with thecontinuously operating feeding rolls and said feeding rolls.

10. A perforated strip feeding device comprising a reciprocatingcarrier, guides for the same, a plurality of friction controlledoscillating fingers mounted in said carrier for engaging theperforations in a strip to feed it with means embodying said frictioncontrol for oscillating said fingers and means for reciprocating thecarrier.

11. In a feeding and severing device, means for feeding a strip ofperforated material, means for severing a portion from said strip andmeans for guiding the severed portion so the advancing end of the stripwill feed and. position said severed portion into engagement withfeeding rolls.

12. In a device of the character described, means for feeding a strip ofperforated material, means for severing a portion from said strip, meanscomprising opposed rotative members having irregular face contours, theface contours of said opposed members being spaced apart less than thetotal thickness of the material and whereby said severed portion isformed in a set, substantially fiat plane during advancement of saidportion by said rolls.

13. In a feeding and severing device, means for feeding a strip ofperforated material, means for severing a portion from said strip,opposed rotative feed rolls having irregular face contours adapted toengage in the surface of said severed portion, and effect asubstantially fiat set in the plane of said severed portion and feedsaid set severed portion into engagement with other feed rolls.

14. The method of positioning and feeding a portion of strip materialsevered from a strip of the same, which consists of distorting thesevcred portion laterally and relative to the normal plane of saidstrip, advancing the end of said strip into positive abutment with thedistorted severed portion and advancing said severed portion bycontiguous engagement with said advancing strip end.

15. In a device for feeding, severing and moistening strips ofperforated material comprising means for engaging said perforations andinterfeed rolls in advance of said severing means. said rolls being sospaced that the faces thereof engage one another in a driving relationand adapted to engage and advance said severed portion whereby saidportion receives a serrature impression that effects a substantial setin the plane of said portion.

16. In a device for feeding, severing and moistening strips ofperforated material comprising means for engaging said perforations andintermittently feeding said strip, means for severing a portion of saidstrip, means for advancing said severed portion into engagement withopposed said shaft and the other end of which is adapted to engage thestrip, a friction means mounted on said shaft and adapted to beoscillated thereby and to cause said finger tov be oscillated into andout of engagement with the strip in a manner whereby a continueddownward pressure is put upon the strip by the finger after contact hasbeen made therewith and contact means for positively limiting theelevation of said finger when it is moved upwardly under the influenceof said friction means and thereby cause slippage between said frictionmeans and said finger to reset the angular displacement of the frictionmeans with respect to the finger occasioned by the contact of the fingerwiththe strip.

18. A device as set forth in claim 17 with means for adjusting andmaintaining the pressure between the washers and the feeding fingers.

19..In a device for feeding perforated strips, a reciprocating carrier,a shaft pivotedin said carrier, a plurality of feeding fingersrotatively mounted on said shaft, friction washers nonrotatively mountedon said shaft and located between the feeding fingers and permittingtheir independent action with uniform pressure in all positions, withmeans for transversely aligning said fingers for each cycle of operationand means for reciprocating the carrier and oscillating the feedingfingers. i

20. In a device for feeding perforated strips, a reciprocating carrier,a shaft pivoted in said carrier; means for reciprocating said carrierand oscillating said shaft, a plurality of feeding fingers rotativelymounted on said shaft, friction means coacting with said fingers andshaft to frictionally oscillate said fingers to opposed stop positions,said shaft having a greater angle of oscillation than said fingers.

21. In a device for feeding perforated strips, a reciprocating carrier,means for reciprocating said carrier and oscillating said shaft, aplurality of feeding fingers freely mounted on said shaft and having alimited rotation thereon which is a less than the complete rotativemovement of said shaft, friction means coacting with said fingers andshaft to frictionally oscillate said fingers.

22. In a'device for feeding perforated strips, a reciprocating carrier,a shaft pivoted in said carrier with means for oscillating said shaft,a'plurality of feeding fingers rotatively mounted on said shaft,friction washers non-rotatively mounted on said shaft and locatedbetween the feeding fingers, meansfor maintaining and adjusting' thepressure between the washers and' feeding fingers, said fingers having alimited rotation with said shaft and which is less than the completeoscillation of said shaft and means for reciprocating said carrier.

FREDERICK w. STORCK.

